^o BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



Effects of Uninterrupted Sunlight on Plants. — Dr. Schuebe- 

 ler, of Christiana, has published in the Norwegian Naturen the results 

 of some experiments on the acclimatization of southern plants in Swe- 

 den and Norway. His first experiments relate to the effect of the 

 almost uninterrupted sun of Scandinavia on winter wheat. Samples 

 from Bessarabia and Ohio sown showed in the first crop an increase 

 in size and weight of grain, together with a deepened color. In- 

 creased development of the pigment of plants is shown also in the 

 common garden flowers of central Europe, which when raised in Nor- 

 way take on richer color. Veronica scrpylHfolia, for example, changes 

 from pale to deep blue, while TrientaUs Enropcea, naturally white, be- 

 comes decidedly pink. Under continuous sunlight also plants which 

 usually fold their leaves at night, such as Miviosa pudica, kept them 

 always open. It is also found that the aroma of fruits and vegetables 

 is much increased. Some of the most savory of European garden 

 vegetables when grown in Norway become absolutely disagreeable to 

 the taste. This increase of aroma points to what may and ought to 

 become a profitable industry in the Scandinavian peninsula, viz., the 

 raising ot those plants which are valuable for their yield of fixed and 

 essential oils, inasmuch as the per cent, obtainable from a given 

 weight is much increased by growth under these peculiar conditions. 

 But while aroma, which seems tlius dependent on light is much aug- 

 mented, sweetness, depending on heat, is correspondingly lessened by 

 moving northward. This is especially noticeable in small fruits, such 

 as the strawberry, plum, cherry, etc. Dr. Schuebeler's experiments 

 extended over 30 years and doubtless the full text of the communica- 

 tions would be most interesting. — C. R. B. 



Red Calyx in Sambucus Canadensis, L.— As ihe botanizing sea- 

 son is again upon us it may be well to publish tlie following note of 

 observations made last summer in this vicinity. By accident I found 

 a bush of the common Elder in which every calyx was of an intense 

 bright purphsh-pink color, and this was true of all the flowers and un- 

 expanded flower-buds on the whole plant. Pedicels and peduncles were 

 the usual white, but all, including the calyx, were decidedly hirsute. 

 A further examination proved that about one-fourth of all the shrubs 

 in that patch had the calyx more or less tinted there being about 30 

 in all. During the remainder of the summer I examined a. great 

 many plants and found the calyx more or less colored and hirsute in 

 near one-third observed. In every instance where the calyx was 

 tinted it was also hairy, but in two examples I found the calyx hairy 

 but not tinted. The color was near that of red aniline. The plants 

 that grew in rich alluvial soil appear to be most frequently colored. — 

 J. Schneck, Mt. Canriel, III. 



Observations on Remarkable Forms of Triticum repens. — I 



am indebted to VVm. Boott, Esq., for the following: "In the 



, English Flora Sir James Smythe says under Triticum repens, 'Schrader 



describes a remarkable state of this grass figured in Leen, t. 12, f. 4, i» 



